"Symptomatic: IRL," a livestreamed, multimedia production being put on by ODURep, opens on Nov. 12.
The show, conceived and directed by Brittney S. Harris and produced by Deborah M. Wallace, both ODU alums and faculty members, centers on the psychological chaos of the pandemic in the United States. And beyond the coronavirus itself lies a list of questions and contradictions, plus a kaleidoscope of emotions: denial, panic, disconnection - even, surprisingly, peace and hope.
Six performers - all ODU students - will embody the wide variety of points of view. The show amplifies the complex narrative and highlights the absurd contradictions of COVID-19 and its diagnosis, treatment and adverse effects on our lives - from adhering to vs. resisting restrictions, to conspiracy theories, to contradictory information from "experts" and "news sources."
"We are very excited to break new ground, and to prove theatre can adapt to the exigencies of human existence," said Helene Clehr, ODU theatre/dance outreach director. "We created our own society within our shared screens, and our private spaces became shared ones. We fought through the too-easy detachment, the audio lag, the buffering, the strange new technologies, the awful distance, to craft a visual, verbal, theatrical, cinematic work of art."
"Symptomatic: IRL" will livestream at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12-14 and 2 p.m. Nov. 15. Tickets can be purchased at http://ODUArtsTix.com.
